Bobbin remover



July 1, 1930. H. M. STEPHYENSON BOBBIN REMOVER Filed June 20, 1927 lnventor Hugh Mstephensgn b H Hi s AU.

' struction that the bobbin can be quickly and readily removed bymanipulation of the Patented July 1, 1939 FFECE HUGH.M. STEPHENSON, 0FFORT WAYNE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, ACOB-EORATION OF NEW YORK 30:31am nnivrovnn Application filed June 20,

My invention relates to sewing machines, and more particularly todevices for facilitating the removal of the bobbins therefrom.

In sewing machines as heretofore constructed in which the bobbin casehas been arranged below the top of the bed-plate, it has been thepractice to provide a throat or opening in the bed-plate adjacent thebobbin case support so that the bobbin case could be removed forrewinding the bobbin which is retained therein. During the operation ofsuch machines this opening has been closed by the throat-plate whichforms a smooth surface across the top of the bed-plate of the machinefor supporting the material being sewn. In rewinding the bobbins inthese machines it has been necessary for the operator to remove thethroat-plate, reach below the bed-plate, release the bobbin retainer,and then remove the bobbin case containing the bobbin, so that thelatter could be removed. As the bobbin must frequently be rewound theseseveral operations take up a good dealof time and interrupt theoperation of the machine. Moreover, when the operator reaches below thebed-plate to release the bobbin retainer his hand obscures the bobbinand the bobbin retainer from view so that he frequently drops the bobbinwhich occasions further delay and annoyance.

An object of my invention is to provide a throat-plate for thesemachines of such conthroat-plate, so that the above-mentioneddifficulties will be eliminated.

My invention will be more fully set forth in the following descriptionreferring to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is an endelevation of a sewing machine embodying my invention, partly broken awayto more clearly illustrate the relation of parts; Fig. 2 is aperspective view of a portion of'the bed-plate of the machine, showingthe latch for thethroat-plate and the bobbin case retainer; Fig. 3 is aperspective view of the throat-plate in the position in which aprojection thereon engages the bob- .bin case; Fig. 1 is a sectionalviewof the 1927. Serial No. 199,880.

bobbin case and the projection on the throatplate in the position shownin Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the bed-plate showing thethroat-plate tilted and in engagement with the bobbin case.

Referring to the drawing, the sewing machine in connection with which Ihave il lu'strated my invention comprises a bedplate from which extendsan overhanging arm 11 for supporting a needle bar 12, takeup 13 andpresser foot 14 which is attached to the presser bar 14*. sewn is fedthrough'the machine by the usual form of feed-dog 15 which is supportedon the bed-plate 10 and actuated by any suitable mechanism. The threadis passed through the material being sewn by a needle 12 which projectsthe thread below the bedplate adjacent a loop-taker 16. The looptaker issupported in suitable bearings beneath the bed-plate 10 and is operatedin the necessary timed relation to the needle 12 by suitable mechanismnot shown. taker 16 passes the thread loop around a bobbin case 17 andforms the stitches during the operation of the machine in the usualmanner. The bed-plate is provided with a throat or opening 1O thereinadjacent the feed-dog 15 so that ready access may be had to the bobbincase 17. During operation of thesewing machine the material being sewnis supported adjacent the feeddog by a throat-plate 18 which is retainedin alignment with the top of the bed-plate 10 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In accordance with my invention the throat-plate 18 is provided withmeans for facilitating removal of the bobbin from the loop-taker whenthe throat-plate is removed from the machine. In the present embodimentof my invention this is accomplished by providing means for forming aconnection between the throat-plate 1S and the bobbin case 17 inresponse to moving or tilting the throat-plate relative to the bed-plate10. In order to do this I form a dovetail groove 24? in the bobbin case17 which extends from the periphery thereof around the central opening21 formed therein. The plate 18is pivotally supported at in the open-The material being The looping 10, and is provided with a boss 22 carrymg a projection 23 having a chamfered portion 24 on the end thereofwhich conforms to that portion of the groove 24 adjacent the opening 21.The chamfered portion 24 of the rojection 23 is so arranged "relative tot e bobbin case 17 when the latter is within the loop-taker 16 thatmovement of the plate 18 about its pivotal sawed-20 will move thechamfered portion 24 of the projection 23 through an are about thepivotal support 20 and into the roove 24. The bobbin case extends withinthe loop-taker so that moving the chamfered portion 24 into the groove24 merely forces the bobbin case against the wall of the loop-takerwithout dislodging the bobbin case therefrom. The groove 24 is widenednear the periphery of the bobbin ,case so that the chamfered portion 24can be readily moved thereinto over the edge of the bobbin case and intoa narrowed portion. of the groove around the opening 21 to i which .itconforms. The projection 23 is provided with a central opening in whicha ball 25 is'retained so that it slightly projects beyond the end ofthecham ered portion 24 and is yieldedly retained in this position by aspring 26 against the wall of the reduced end 23 of the opening. It willnow-beclear that when the plate 18 is tilted fromthe position shown inFig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 3 that the chamfered portion24ofthe projection 23 will be moved into engagement with the groove 24, and

that when it reaches the end of the groove the ball 25 will be snappedinto the opening 21 in the bobbin case and the latter thereby latcbedtothe projection 23 so that the bobbin case can be removed fromthe'machine by manipulating the plate 18. The bobbin case is retained inplace during this operation by the side walls of the loop-taker and anFarm 19 extending therefrom into an arcuate recess .19 formed in theside of the thmat'plate 18, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and5,whichpermits'tilting of the throat-plate without moving 'thedoveta-ilgroove 24 in the bobbin ease outof the path of movement of the chamferedportion 24. During ordinary operation of the sewing machine the 15KB 18is retained in alignment with the Eedqdate 10 by a bracket 27 which issupposted from the bed-plate at 28 and has an openin 29 therein intowhich the ball 254's f0 by thespring 26 when the plate 18 is noved intoalignment with the top of the bed-plate 10.

.When the sewing machine is being operated the plate 18 is pivotallysupported in the opening 10 at 20 and retained in place by the bracket27. In this position of the plate 18the arm 19 holds the bobbin case 17in the proper position for sewing. If it is deslredto remove the bobbinfor rewinding,

the end of the plate 18 adjacent the boss 22 is depressed which snapsthe ball 25 out of the opening 29 in the bracket 27, but does not movethe bobbin as the arcuate recess 19 permits the throat-plate to moverelative to the arm 19 on the bobbin. The plate 18 is depressed farenough to bring the chamfered portion 24 of the projection 23 into thegroove 24 to such position that the ball 25 is snapped into the opening21 in the bobbin case 17 which forms a connection between the plate 18and the bobbin case 17, as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. In order to movethe plate 18 out of engagement with the pivotal supports 20 it is tiltedfrom the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 about the projection 23to the position shown in dotted lines, which brings it into alignmentwith the slot 10". The late is then moved laterally into the slotwithdrawing the bobbin case 17 longitudinally out of the looptaker sothat the plate and the attached bobbin case can be readily raised abovethe bedplate through the opening 10 and slot 10". The bobbin is removedfrom the bobbin case and rewound in the usual manner and is thenreplaced therein. The plate 18 with the attached bobbin case is thenprojected below the bed-plate 10 through the openings 10 and slot 10 andbrought into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 which movesthe bobbin case in place within the looptaker16. The plate 18 is movedinto the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 engaging its pivotalsupports 20, then swun on its pivotal supports 20 from the positionshown in full lines in Figs. 3 and 5 to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2,which disengages the chamfered portion 24 from the bobbin case 17 ,thelatter being retained by the side wall of the loop-taker during themovement of the chamfered portion 24 out of the groove 24'. In bringingthe plate 18 into this position the ball 25 is snapped into the opening29 in bracket 27 so that the plate 18 is retained in alignment with thetop of the bed-fplate 10. If the throat-plate is removed rom thebed-plate of the machine separately from the bobbin case, as has beenusual heretofore, the arcuate recess 19 will disengage the arm 19,thereby releasing the bobbin so that itcan be removed manually. Moreoverwhen the bobbin and throat-plate are replaced in the machine in theposition shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the arm 19 will engage the -recess 19in the throat-plate and retain the bobbin in position for sewing.

In view of the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided animproved bobbin remover by means of which the bobbin case can be readilyremoved from the loop-taker by manipulation of the throat-plate of thesewing machine.

Although my improved bobbin remover is disclosed in connection with arotary center use.

bobbin sewing machine, it will be apparent to those skilled in the artthat it is also applicable to sewing machines of other types. I desireit to be understood, therefore, that my invention is not limited to theparticular arrangement shown and described, and I intend in the appendedclaims to cover all modifications which do not depart from the spiritand scope of my invention.

hat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is

1. In a sewing machine having a bedplate, a removable bobbin, aremovable plate carried by said bed-plate, and means for connecting saidbobbin to said plate in response to movement of the latter relative tothe former so that said plate and said bobbin can be removed from themachine as a unit.

2. In a sewing machine, having a bedplate provided with an opening, amovable plate, means for supporting said plate in the opening in saidbed-plate, a removable bobbin supported adjacent said opening, and meansfor connecting said bobbin to said throat-plate in response to tiltingthe latter on said support in order to facilitate the removal of thebobbin from the machine.

3. In a sewing machine having a bedplate provided with an opening, aremovable bobbin case supported adjacent said opening, said bobbin casehaving a recess therein, a throat-plate having a projection thereonconforming to the shape of the recess in said bobbin case, means forpivotally supporting said throat-plate so that it can be removed tobring said projection into engagement with the recess in said bobbincase, and a latch for retaining said projection in the recess in saidbobbin case in order to facilitate removal of the latter from themachine.

4:. In a sewing machine having a bedplate, a removable bobbin, means forsup porting said bobbin, a movable plate arranged in an opening in saidbed-plate, means on said plate for retaining said bobbin in said supportand for releasing said bobbin in response to moving said plate so thatthe bobbin can be readily removed from the machine.

5. In a sewing machine, a removable plate, a removable bobbin, a supportfor said bobbin, means for engaging said bobbin to retain the same insaid support, and means on said plate for connecting said bobbin theretoin order to facilitate removal of the bobbin from the machine.

6. In a sewing machine, a removable plate, a removable bobbin case, asupport for said bobbin case, means on said plate for engaging saidbobbin case to retain the same in said support, and means for connectingsaid bobbin case to said plate in response to movement of said plate inorder to facilitate the removal of the bobbin case from the machine.

7. In a sewing machine having a bedplate provided with an opening, aremovable bobbin case, a support for said bobbin case adjacent theopening in said bed-plate,

a throat-plate, means for supporting said throat-plate in the opening insaid bed-plate, said throat-plate having means thereon for engaging saidbobbin case to retain the same in its support when said throat-plate isin the opening in said bed-plate, and means on said throat-plate forconnecting said bobbin case thereto.

8. In a sewing machine having a bed-plate provided with an opening, aremovable bobbin case, a support for said bobbin case adjacent theopening in said bed-plate, a throat-plate, means for supporting saidthroat-plate in the opening in said bed-plate, said throat-plate havingmeans thereon for engaging said bobbin case to retain the same in itssupport when said throat-plate is in the opening in said bed-plate andfor disengaging said bobbin case when said throatplate is removed fromsaid bed-plate, and means for connecting said bobbin case to said platein response to the tilting of said throat-plate relative to saidbed-plate in order to facilitate removal of the bobbin case from themachine.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 16 day of June,1927.

HUGH M. STEPHENSON.

